Was looking through some postcards i got from my recent trip to Germany and the ones that hit me the most were the ones picturing the Berlin wall in the 1960s. I’ve not read enough to make comments about it, but, just looking at how people looked over the wall or found ways to made me wonder how it felt like to be trapped in there against your own will. Granted, not everyone in East Berlin wanted to go over to the West, but from the many escape attempts we’ve learned about we know that there were definitely those who weren’t in the East on their own will. Why build a wall if there’s nothing to keep in right?

As such, i’ve made an attempt at poetry writing based on this image that I had. This was the ‘Berlin Wall’ at the very beginning. It was only barbed wire as they could not build a wall overnight, but in terms of restriction, it mirrored those of a wall. I remember the guide telling us stories of people just staring at the barbed wire and people who attempted to cross were shot dead on the spot. Those stories were the basis of this character who believes that what the government is doing has nothing to do with them/him, they keep quiet, ignoring the signs around them until one day they wake up and it’s too late. Even then it takes a rude awakening for them to realize that life will never be the same again. I think that’s how i feel with all the politics, local and international happening around me. It’s easy to just live your life and pretend it won’t affect you, but truth it, it will, eventually. I’m not saying i’ll become a political activist, i wouldn’t know where to start honestly. I think we need to be aware of the issues that arise, start conversations about it, and when it comes the time to act, act wisely.

p.s.Had to use italics to separate the stanza’s as wordpress automatically adjusted it to space everything out evenly.

This comic explains it all, libraries and may i add museums (especially the ones that offer free admission) are a valuable asset to society especially the ones who do not have the resources to buy books or travel. I have been to the Smithsonian museums, the Museums in London, they are all free and have an extensive collection that spans the many centuries of human history. They hold the knowledge that human civilization has gathered and discovered over time in a single place and it is fascinating. My favorite experiences have been in museums where I learn by experiencing and looking at artifacts from the times or being at the place where history was made. You learn all sorts of things, how the human experience was in a certain time period and how it compares to today, and there is that connection that you make with the past. I believe that governments providing free access to libraries and museums is a public service that is worth the tax money you pay. An educated public is an asset to society.

We all need a little reminding once in a while, because life is like that, life engulfs us with its essence, worries and tasks that sometimes we forget what’s important. That is why i like to on occasion read words of advice from successful people to remind myself about what’s important and what i should be focusing my attention on. After all, life is short and we should make the best of it. So here are some words from an article i read. I’ll link the original so that you can read the whole thing for yourself.

“If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I’m about to do today?” – Steve Jobs

2. “Never be the smartest person in the room. And if you are, I suggest you find a different room.” – Michael Dell

3. “It took me a long time to understand it, but the best advice I ever received was to ask for help when I need it. People love to help. I don’t have to be insecure and know it all. I was reticent to rely on anyone else around me and balked at the thought of asking for help, counsel, or assistance. But when you’re in a business partnership with two other guys, this thought process is going to create serious problems.”-Chip Wilson

4.You cannot unify everyone’s thoughts, but you can unify everyone through a common goal. – Jack Ma

5. “There is no ‘correct’ way to play the game.”– Tiger Woods

6. “Why worry? If you have done the very best you can, worrying won’t make it any better.”– Walt Disney

7. “I have yet to find the man, however exalted his station, who did not do better work and put forth greater effort under a spirit of approval than under a spirit of criticism.” – Charles M. Schwab

8. “I very frequently get the question: ‘What’s going to change in the next 10 years?’ And that is a very interesting question; it’s a very common one. I almost never get the question: ‘What’s not going to change in the next 10 years?’ And I submit to you that that second question is actually the more important of the two — because you can build a business strategy around the things that are stable in time.” -Jeff Bezos

9. “I dislike this concept of proficiency in education. … I’ve never met a Nobel Prize winner who didn’t think they had an awful lot more to learn and wasn’t studying every single day.” – Michael Bloomberg

10. “Sometimes in the thick of life, when my call list is longer than the day and people are lined up waiting for meeting after meeting, I just stop. I still myself. And look at a tree. A flower. The sun’s light reflecting off the window. And I remember love is available. I inhale it, exhale, and get back to work.” -Oprah Winfrey

11. “My partners taught me that in order to create wealth, I needed to pair up with people whose strengths compensated for my weaknesses.” – Kevin O’Leary

12. “In your 20’s I encourage you to travel and explore the world. Get to know and respect the citizens of this planet. Have some adventure and learn about yourself and discover your true passions. And then I hope you bring it all back.” – Ross Perot

13. “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.” – Henry Ford

14. “I listen to the bad stuff more, so I know what not to do. The stuff that’s not selling.” – Dr Dre

15.“I don’t believe in 50 friends. I believe in a smaller number. Nor do I care about society events. It’s the most senseless use of time. When I do go out, from time to time, it’s just to convince myself again that I’m not missing a lot.” -Dietrich Mateschitz

16. “If you want to succeed, you should strike out on new paths, rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success.” – John D. Rockefeller

17. I train for my head—not my body. The ancillary benefits [of training] are that I’m healthy as a horse. It really does clear my mind. It’s an opportunity to wash anything from my head, business-wise or personal. That’s my moment when I can get into a zone.” -Vince McMahon

18. “A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That’s why they don’t get what they want.” – Madonna

19. “When it comes to making friends, what it comes down to is finding people who don’t need anything from me. That’s the test.” – Gurbaksh Cahal

It’s that time of the week again, btw i was thinking, if anyone out there is reading this list, interested in an email instead? My interests include business, books, museums, arts, history. If you think that’ll be cool comment please!

I’ve decided to come up with a weekly reading list to save the articles I come across each week, actually I come across a ton of articles each day and sometimes there’s just no time to read it all, so this is a list of articles I’ve found really interesting this week. Lemme know if any of these are interesting to you and if i should make this a set weekly thing.

Recently i visited springfield illinois where Abraham Lincoln lived (before he became president) and also where he is buried. I have to say, it was a really powerful experience, walking in the house that he lived in, imagining what he must be thinking. One thought ran across my mind as i was taking in everything, “what made him so different? What was it that made him act on the nagging feeling that slavery wasn’t right?” I’m sure you don’t just wake up one day and decide you want to change the world. I believe it is something gradual, shaky and quiet in the beginning but it becomes louder as time goes by. I’m sure many people felt that slavery was not right, but it was him, Abraham Lincoln that used his position to make such an impactful change. I just think it’s so amazing. It makes me want to know more about the man, what did he know, what shaped him, what motivated him, what gave him courage? so many questions. And yet, i feel this connection to him. I was reading this article, an open letter from introverts to the world, and below there was a list of famous people who were introverts and Abraham Lincoln was one of them. Somehow this was not surprising to me, I just had this feeling that he was one. And i think that’s one more amazing thing about him, he was an introvert, and he still did what he did! As an introvert myself, i know how tough it is to come out of your safe, quiet place and step up to do what you know to be right. I also think that he knew that he was an introvert and used it to his advantage, which is beautiful because it shows that he really had confidence in who he was. I know many times when I wished so hard that i was an extrovert, that i could socialize with people and not get tired, that i would be able to come up with conversation topics to no end. It was only later that i realized that i was quiet not because i was boring or couldn’t think of things to say, it was just that the conversations that i was engaged in was not what i was either

a. not interested in [I’m just being honest here]

b. inadequately informed on

c. gossip.

I wish i could get into conversation easily with others about their ideas about the world, about change, what they wish they could do. Yes, the weather is a nice topic, but there will be an end to that eventually. I guess what i’m trying to say is, introverts can be leaders, they can talk, but they also are who they are and there should be more respect for that.

I took a ‘History of England’ class last semester and newsflash, although London is the capital of the UK today, it wasn’t a major city during the Roman or even the Anglo-Saxon times. It was only later that London slowly grew and became an important city. i found this incredible video that details the evolution of London from Roman times when it was known as Londonia to today. It’s a little slow but very informative.

gonna visit this wonderful city in three weeks! can’t wait to see it again, no matter how many times i visit London, there’s never a way to ‘cover’ everything. There’s always something new in this vibrant and historical city.